THE CLAIMS OF JUSTICE.' 153 



From this monster in human shape we will turn to those of 

 more kindly feelings. Beauchamp, though his sufferings from 

 the pistol shot had not much abated, felt impelled, by a sense 

 of duty and love to Blanche, to save her from further attempts 

 at outrage, to attend the magistrates' meeting, where his 

 evidence, with the confessions of the wounded man, was 

 sufficient to obtain the commitment of the other two watchers 

 to take their trial at the ensuing assizes, to be held in March ; 

 Lord Malcolm being the prosecutor, who declared that every 

 effort in the meantime should be made to arrest Lord Yancourt 

 for his dastardly attempt to carry off his cousin. 



" You must not suppose, gentlemen," said Lord Malcolm, 

 addressing the Bench, " that I, or any of Miss Douglas's family 

 are actuated by the spirit of revenge in this prosecution ; but 

 for the honour of my family and hers, and to protect her from 

 any further attempts of this sort, I feel bound to use my best 

 exertions in bringing the chief perpetrators of such a cowardly, 

 unmanly act to justice, and not allow the law to take its course 

 only against the least guilty parties. The crime of abduction, 

 bad enough in itself, has also in this case been most seriously 

 aggravated by shedding of blood, and the very near sacrifice of 

 two lives." 



" You are most fully justified, Lord Malcolm," said Sir 

 Lionel Markham, who presided, " in the course you intend to 

 pursue, which is highly necessary, in a public point of view, to 

 uphold the laws of the country, and prevent such outrages 

 in civilised society." With which Malcolm, bowing to the 

 Bench, withdrew with his friend Beauchamp. 



During this investigation, the large room of the Fox (a way- 

 side inn, in the parish of Marston, where the petty sessions were 

 held), was crowded to overflowing, and Lord Malcolm's determi- 

 nation to arrest Lord Yancourt was loudly applauded by the 

 farmers and poorer classes. 



" That's right, my lord," said Farmer Stubbins, as he was 

 leaving the room, " doan't ye let the biggest villain of the lot 

 escape just because he's a lord ; and there, to 'tempt to murder 

 the young squire, too — dang it all, my lord, it be too bad ; 

 hanging ain't too great a punishment for such as he." 



The result of these proceedings was quickly communicated 

 to Lord Mervyn by one of his emissaries who attended to watch 

 the case, although no attempt was made by his lordship to 

 screen his men from the consequences of their aiding and 

 abetting Lord Yancourt ; in fact, he repudiated the whole 



